What Is Cookie Consent Speed.Run?

Updated

Cookie Consent Speed.Run is a free browser-based game where you race against the clock to reject all cookies on simulated consent banners. It is made by Fred Wordie and supported by Big Data Girl, a picture book about Big Data. The site describes it as a way to test the skills you have built up navigating real cookie pop-ups since GDPR arrived. It is best experienced on a desktop browser, just like the real banners it imitates.

What You Actually Do

The game turns the everyday annoyance of cookie consent into a timed challenge. Each level presents a consent banner built with the same text and tricks found in normal pop-ups, and your goal is to say no to every cookie.

The rules shown on the site are short:

  • The game is only played inside the game box.
  • Your end goal is to say no to all cookies.
  • You follow the instructions given on each level.

A running timer tracks how long you take, and the page displays scores for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 along with a best time (PB) and last time (LT). The site also includes a hint option and a "Clear Test" control for resetting your results.

How the Levels Work

The game is split into three rounds. The first screen explains the premise and the rules; from there you start the first level and progress through the rest.

Element What it shows
Level 1 / 2 / 3 timers Your time for each round
LT Your last time
PB Your personal best
Hint A nudge if a banner is tricky
Clear Test Resets your recorded results

The site's own framing is that the game uses "all the text and tricks of normal cookie consent pop-ups and banners," so expect the same patterns you meet on real websites: ambiguous wording, prominent accept buttons, and reject options that are harder to find. The challenge is to see through them quickly.

Who It Is For

This is for anyone who wants to test or sharpen their cookie-banner instincts, and for people curious about how consent design nudges choices. The site ties the game to Big Data Girl, a picture book about Big Data for kids and adults, and links to it for readers who want to learn more about how cookies and trackers affect their lives.

If you are researching consent banner patterns or teaching someone how to spot dark patterns, the game works as a short, practical exercise. Because it is a browser game, no account or install is described on the page.

Practical Notes

  • Play on a desktop browser; the site says this is the best experience, matching real cookie pop-ups.
  • Read the rules first: the only goal is rejecting all cookies, so do not get drawn into accepting anything.
  • Use the hint if a level stalls you, and Clear Test if you want a fresh run.
  • The page does not state pricing or login requirements, so treat those as unconfirmed rather than assuming free or open access.